Saying goodbye to Carlos and Corey Dimas

Dennis NettBerta "Corey'' Dimas(left), and her family at the dining room table. From left are husband, Carlos, son Andres, 6, and Alexandra, 12. The couple are leaving Syracuse for Arlington, Va., where Carlos will start a Youth Life outreach ministry to Hispanic youths.

The Syracuse community is losing two of its leading advocates for seniors, youths and Hispanic women.

Carlos and Berta "Corey'' Dimas are leaving us Wednesday for Arlington, Va., where Carlos will start a Young Life outreach ministry to the 1.4 million Hispanic youths in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.

A dinner dance honoring the couple is planned for 6 p.m. Saturday at Eastern Hills Bible Church on Enders Road, Manlius.

About 300 people are expected to attend.

Carlos and Corey are from El Salvador. Carlos moved here 18 years ago, and Corey came in 1993 when they got married.

They have two children: Alexandra, 12 and Andres, 6.

Jennifer MeyersCarlos Dimas talks with Matt Sherwood, 18, of Syracuse, at a farewell party Saturday for Dimas and his wife, Berta "Corey,'' at Eastern Hills Baptist Church, Manlius.

For seven years, Carlos has served as director of Syracuse Area Young Life, the local affiliate of the international Christian ministry that reaches out to teens.

Before that, he was the Hispanic pastor at the former South Presbyterian Church on Syracuse's South Side.

He also worked as a translator, helping the area's Spanish-speaking population communicate with doctors, teachers and other social services providers.

Many times, he helped me communicate with Spanish-speaking people I interviewed for stories.

Many of us know Corey because of her work with Hispanic women through her "Mujeres de Virtu'' or Women of Virtue bible study.

She is the former program coordinator of Clover Corner, a senior recreation program run at Southwest Community Center by Huntington Family Centers.

For the last two years, Corey has been pursuing her master's degree in biblical studies.

Carlos said he certainly won't miss the snow up here. He'll miss the people and the ministry he's built here.

"It's an opportunity we're getting to go and make a difference in a place where we can maximize our gifts and also give back,'' he said. "It's somewhat exciting and scary. Right now, we're filled with grief because our relationship go deep here. We're terribly going to miss the people.''

Ada Abreu, owner of La Casa del Te restaurant on the Near West Side, said Corey and Carlos will be missed by a lot of people.

Carlos worked hard to get a lot of kids off the streets, Ada said.

"Corey is a great lady. I know she has great care for Latino women who did not know English,'' Ada said. The older ladies, they all love her. They're going to be leaving a void in Syracuse.''

Do you have memories or stories to share about how Corey and Carlos touched your life and the Syracuse area?